Senior Full Stack Engineer

The Office of Data and Innovation (ODI) is seeking an experienced Senior Full Stack Engineer to join our Engineering team in CalInnovate. We are a team with diverse backgrounds. With experience in government, startups, and enterprise businesses. Some of us taught ourselves to code. That mix makes us better.

Our Engineering team came together to work on the California COVID-19 response. Since then, we partner with several state departments to improve digital services and technical processes. We work on high-profile projects, often in response to emergencies. We are the technical support team for Engaged California, a platform for civic participation.

We are a mission-driven team curious, compassionate, and collaborative with decades of experience across government, startups, and research.

We do not expect everyone to know the same stack. We do expect everyone to be curious, share what they know, and ask for help when they need it.

We build pilots and proof-of-concepts. We also contribute to large systems that serve millions.

Our team is pioneering the use of generative AI (Gen AI) in government software development. We approach AI with intention. Our Gen AI tools are vetted for security and compliance.

What you'll do:

• Build and improve web applications used by Californians across the full stack.
• Develop and maintain databases and APIs as well as the interfaces people see and click.
• Work with designers, data scientists, and policy experts to ship real products.
• Write and review code daily, building features, fixing bugs, and maintaining secure systems.
• Support teammates through code reviews and shared documentation.
• Prioritize performance, reliability, and scalability in every step of development.
• Work across many tools and technologies. The right tool depends on the problem. You will need to learn quickly and switch contexts often. One week you may be working on a headless website. The next, an interactive data visualization. The next, consulting on a .NET project.
• Learn new languages and frameworks when the work calls for it.
• Navigate California state security requirements, accessibility standards, and procurement processes to deliver compliant, resilient systems., + Electronic Submission: Application and any required applicable documents may be submitted electronically through CalCareers account. The application packages must be received electronically by 11:59 p.m. on the final filing date as stated on the job vacancy announcement.

• U.S Postal Service Mail: Application and any applicable required documents may be submitted by mail. The envelope must be postmarked before or on the final filing date as stated on the job vacancy announcement. Do not include confidential information such as social security numbers, date of birth, marital status, equal employment opportunity data, examination scores, and LEAP information. Per CCR 249.3 we may fill additional positions from this recruitment.

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate, + Proficient in at least one server-side language such as NodeJS, Python, or PHP

• Proficient in Javascript, CSS, and HTML
• Proficient with Git for version control
• Proficient with MacOS
• Experience with continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines
• Experience designing, architecting, and diagramming technical solutions
• Investigative ability and intellectual curiosity
• Ability to learn and embrace new technologies

Interpersonal

• Experience working successfully on multi-disciplinary teams
• Experience using project management tools to track and share task status
• Ability to communicate with both technical and non-technical audiences
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse groups of stakeholders
• Comfort with risk and trying new approaches
• Ability to work independently or as part of a small team
• Commitment to equity and using data to serve all Californians
• Ability to stay calm and focused under pressure, + Recent experience with large language models (LLMs) and agentic workflows
• Experience with front-end frameworks and component libraries
• AWS administration
• DNS administration

The employee's workstation is located in Sacramento, CA or Oakland, CA. Travel to the Sacramento headquarters may be required as needed. This position provides telework opportunities in accordance with agency telework policies., The California Office of Data and Innovation helps deliver better services to the people of California through technology and design. In close partnership with our colleagues in other state departments, we reimagine and deliver more equitable and effective programs and products. We listen to Californians who use a program now or may do so tomorrow and hear about what they need. We build tools and products, create and enhance digital services, conduct research, identify data solutions and offer training. We are a cross-discipline staff with blended backgrounds in design, engineering, product, operations, data, research, policy and strategy. If you can imagine joining this growing, and inclusive team, please apply!

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at ODI

Diversity, equity, and inclusion help us deliver better government services to Californians. Fostering diversity inspires better ideas and more innovative thinking. Feeling included nurtures a shared sense of community. This drives us to take collective action on challenging problems. Prioritizing equity ensures we build solutions for people whose needs are often overlooked. We acknowledge our history and present of implicit and structural injustice, bias, and discrimination. We see, hear, and accept each other and the lived experiences we bring to our work. We support each other in learning and developing so we can help all Californians thrive. We understand this work is never done. That's why we commit to constant improvement.

Please note, CalHR provides contracted Human Resources services for The California Office of Data and Innovation and is not an E-Verified employer. Department Website: https://innovation.ca.gov/

Special Requirements

In order to be considered for this position, you must submit a completed Statement of Qualifications (SOQ).

• Organize your responses clearly (e.g., by question, with headings) and focus on describing the problem, your approach, tradeoffs, your role, and the impact.
• Keep your response concise and easy to review. You may use either a narrative format or a structured, skimmable format with clear headings.
• Limit your response to no more than two pages. Use a standard, professional font (e.g., Arial or similar, approximately 11-12 point) to ensure readability.

Applications submitted without an SOQ will not be considered.

1. Tell us about a front end performance or accessibility problem you solved.

• How did you solve the problem?
• What tradeoffs did you have to consider?
• Did you lead, contribute, or review?
• What was the impact or impact?

2. Tell us about a back end development problem you solved.

• How did you solve the problem?
• What tradeoffs did you have to consider?
• Did you lead, contribute, or review?
• What was the outcome or impact?

3. Tell us about a time you had to pick up an unfamiliar technology or framework to solve a real problem.

• How did you approach the challenge?
• What was the outcome?
• What would you do differently next time?